Interfertility between Armillaria cepistipes and A. sinapina

Des études ont rapporté que des lignées européennes d'Armillaria cepistipes étaient interfertiles avec trois lignées américaines d'Armillaria désignées par les termes espèce biologique nord-américaine (NABS) V (A sinapina), NABS X et NABS XI. Une telle interfertilité entre les espèces soulève des doutes au sujet de l'utilisation de binômes latins distincts pour des espèces pouvant se reproduire. Cette interfertilité a été ré-examinée en mettant 24 isolats haploïdes d'A cepistipes européen en présence de 23 isolats 6'A. sinapina d'Amérique du Nord et d'Asie. Les appariements individuels ont été effectués de façon indépendante au moins une fois à l'Université Laval (Canada) et à NNRA Clermont-Ferrand (France). Des 420 appariements interspécifiques effectués à l'Université Laval, deux étaient positifs et sept étaient ambigus, pour un total de 2,1 % de tous les appariements. Des 506 appariements effectués à Clermont-Ferrand, 10 étaient positifs et 24 étaient ambigus pour un total de 6,7 % des appariements. Les différences dans les résultats de ces appariements peuvent être expliquées par les températures d'incubation, ainsi que par les différents types et concentrations d'extrait de malt utilisés dans chaque laboratoire. Les bas niveaux d'interfertilité trouvés entre A cepistipes et A. sinapina peuvent résulter de l'absence de barrières génétiques habituellement présentes entre des espèces sympatriques. Ce bas niveau d'interfertilité reflète des différences entre la morphologie, la répartition et les habitats des deux espèces d'Armillaria, et appuie la conservation de dénominations d'espèces distinctes.European strains of Armillaria cepistipes were reported to be interfertile with strains from three American Armillaria species known as North American Biological Species (NABS) V (A sinapina), NABS X and NABS XI. Such interfertility between species raises some doubts about using different Latin binomials for species capable of mating. This interfertility was reinvestigated by mating 24 haploid isolates of European A cepistipes with 23 isolates of A sinapinafrom North America and Asia. Individual pairings were independently performed at least once at Universite Laval, Canada and at INRA Clermont-Ferrand, France. From the 420 interspecific pairings performed at Laval, two were positive and seven were ambiguous for a total of 2.1% of all the pairings. From the 506 pairings made at Clermont-Ferrand, 10 were positive and 24 were ambiguous for a total of 6.7%. The differences in the pairing results may be explained by incubation temperatures, and the different types and concentrations of malt extract used at each laboratory. The low levels of interfertility found between A. cepistipes and A. sinapina may result from the absence of genetic barriers that are usually present between sympatric species. This low level of interfertility reflects differences in morphology, distribution, and habitat for these two species of Armillaria and this supports the retention of different species denominations

Invariant vector fields and the prolongation method for supersymmetric quantum systems

The kinematical and dynamical symmetries of equations describing the time evolution of quantum systems like the supersymmetric harmonic oscillator in one space dimension and the interaction of a non-relativistic spin one-half particle in a constant magnetic field are reviewed from the point of view of the vector field prolongation method. Generators of supersymmetries are then introduced so that we get Lie superalgebras of symmetries and supersymmetries. This approach does not require the introduction of Grassmann valued differential equations but a specific matrix realization and the concept of dynamical symmetry. The Jaynes-Cummings model and supersymmetric generalizations are then studied. We show how it is closely related to the preceding models. Lie algebras of symmetries and supersymmetries are also obtained.Comment: 37 pages, 7 table

On supersymmetric quantum mechanics

This paper constitutes a review on N=2 fractional supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics of order k. The presentation is based on the introduction of a generalized Weyl-Heisenberg algebra W_k. It is shown how a general Hamiltonian can be associated with the algebra W_k. This general Hamiltonian covers various supersymmetrical versions of dynamical systems (Morse system, Poschl-Teller system, fractional supersymmetric oscillator of order k, etc.). The case of ordinary supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics corresponds to k=2. A connection between fractional supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics and ordinary supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics is briefly described. A realization of the algebra W_k, of the N=2 supercharges and of the corresponding Hamiltonian is given in terms of deformed-bosons and k-fermions as well as in terms of differential operators.Comment: Review paper (31 pages) to be published in: Fundamental World of Quantum Chemistry, A Tribute to the Memory of Per-Olov Lowdin, Volume 3, E. Brandas and E.S. Kryachko (Eds.), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 200

Forensic intelligence teaching and learning in higher education: An international approach.

Over the years, forensic science has primarily positioned itself as a service provider for the criminal justice system, following the dominant and traditional reactive law enforcement model. Unfortunately, this focus has limited its capacity to provide knowledge about crime systems and to support other forms of policing styles through forensic intelligence. Although forensic intelligence research has steadily developed over the last few years, it is rarely covered in the core of academic teaching and research programs. Developing forensic intelligence programs would empower graduates with an awareness of forensic intelligence meaning and models, creating great opportunities to shape their future professional activities and progressively shift the dominant paradigm through a bottom-up approach. In this article, the teaching and learning strategies in forensic intelligence developed at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) and adapted at the University of Technology Sydney (Australia) and the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Canada) are presented. The objective behind the strategy is to reflect on and work on real case scenarios using a progressive teaching and learning approach that builds upon the theory and practical exercise putting students in real-life situations. Through this innovative learning process, students move away from the Court as the sole end purpose of forensic science. They learn to adopt different roles, adopt a proactive attitude as well as work individually and collaboratively. This teaching and learning strategy breaks the current silos observed in the forensic science discipline by focusing on processes and critical thinking. It can be foreseen, through the evolution of crime and policing models, that the learning and teaching strategy described in this article offers and will offer the students with many new job opportunities. The article concludes with the advantages that such teaching and learning programs in forensic intelligence bring to the forensic science community

Reclaiming heritage: colourization, culture wars and the politics of nostalgia

This article considers the discursive continuities between a specifically liberal defence of cultural patrimony, evident in the debate over film colourization, and the culture war critique associated with neo-conservatism. It examines how a rhetoric of nostalgia, linked to particular ideas of authenticity,canonicity and tradition,has been mobilized by the right and the left in attempts to stabilize the confguration and perceived transmission of American cultural identity. While different in scale, colourization and multiculturalism were seen to create respective (postmodern) barbarisms against which defenders of culture, heritage and good taste could unite. I argue that in its defence of the ‘classic’ work of art, together with principles of aesthetic distinction and the value of cultural inheritance,the anti-colourization lobby helped enrich and legitimize a discourse of tradition that, at the end of the 1980s, was beginning to reverberate powerfully in the conservative challenge to a ‘crisis’ within higher education and the humanities. This article attempts to complicate the contemporary politics of nostalgia, showing how a defence of cultural patrimony has distinguished major and minor culture wars, engaging left and right quite differently but with similar presuppositions

Rape-related symptoms in adolescents: short- and long-term outcome after cognitive behavior group therapy

Background: Efficacy studies on treatment in adolescent victims of single rape are lacking, even though sexual victimization is most likely to occur during adolescence and despite the fact that adolescents are at risk to develop subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder. Aim: The aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of a nine-session cognitive behavior group therapy (STEPS), including a parallel six-session parents’ group on rape-related symptomatology in female adolescents (13–18 years). STEPS includes psychoeducation, exposure in sensu as well as in vivo, cognitive restructuring, and relapse prevention. Methods: Fifty-five female adolescents with mental health problems due to single rape, but without prior sexual trauma, received STEPS while their parents participated in a support group. Subjects were assessed on posttraumatic stress (PTS) and comorbid symptoms using self-report questionnaires prior to and directly after treatment, and at 6 and 12 months follow-up. Results: Repeated measures analysis showed a significant and large decrease in symptoms of PTS, anxiety, depression, anger, dissociation, sexual concerns, and behavior problems directly after treatment, which maintained at 12 months follow-up. Time since trauma did not influence the results. Dropout during STEPS was 1.8%. Conclusions: The results potentially suggest that the positive treatment outcomes at short- and long-term may be caused by STEPS. The encouraging findings need confirmation in future controlled studies on the effectiveness of STEPS because it may be possible that the treatment works especially well for more chronic symptoms, while the less chronic part of the sample showed considerable improvement on its own

QOZs in the Big Easy: A Study of Qualified Opportunity Zones in New Orleans

The MURP 4005/5005 Introduction to Neighborhood Planning course provided service learning to HousingNOLA. HousingNOLA focuses on issues that relate to housing, employment, socio-economic development, community engagement, public policy and strategic uses of data to empower individuals and enrich the non-profit, public and private sectors. The course provided an introduction to neighborhood issues that HousingNOLA cares about and strives to make better: community involvement in the planning process. The focus of the project research was on US Federal Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZ) and how this national policy has been deployed in both New Orleans, LA. The research report will serve as a ‘first look’ at NOLA QOZs from the national to state to local perspectives. The NOLA QOZ report will be shared with the City of New Orleans Municipal Offices and the New Orleans Business Alliance who is leading the development of a QOZ strategic plan. UNO Students identified and tested free public and private geospatial analysis and map making services. The students have shared guides to online mapping resources to summarize the conditions, and create a profile, of the QOZ that was “adopted” for the class