A high-throughput method for genotyping S-RNase alleles in apple

We present a new efficient screening tool for detection of S-alleles in apple. The protocol using general and multiplexed primers for PCR reaction and fragment detection on an automatized capillary DNA sequencer exposed a higher number of alleles than any previous studies. Analysis of alleles is made on basis of three individual fragment sizes making the allele interpretation highly accurate. The method was employed to genotype 432 Malus accessions and exposed 25 different S-alleles in a selection of Malus domestica cultivars of mainly Danish origin (402 accessions) as well as a selection of other Malus species (30 accessions). The allele S3 (28 %) was the most common among the Danish cultivars followed by S1 and S7 (both 27 %). The alleles S36 and S40 not previously reported from M. domestica were found in 6 and 17 cultivars, respectively. Complete allelic composition was found in 91 % of the 369 diploid accessions and in 86 % of the 63 triploids concerned. We further identified a relatively high frequency of S33 and S34, which has not been considered by most previous studies. The protocol presented here is easy to adopt and saves both time and work effort compared to previous methods. The robustness is illustrated by the great accuracy and a high number of S-alleles presented. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11032-016-0448-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

The association between early-onset schizophrenia with employment, income, education, and cohabitation status : nationwide study with 35 years of follow-up

Purpose Individuals with schizophrenia have been reported to have low employment rates. We examined the associations of schizophrenia with employment, income, and status of cohabitation from a work life course perspective. Methods Nationwide cohort study including all individuals (n = 2,390,127) born in Denmark between 1955 and 1991, who were alive at their 25th birthday. Diagnosis of schizophrenia (yes/no) between ages 15 and 25 was used as an exposure. Employment status, annual wage or self-employment earnings, level of education, and cohabitant status from the age of 25–61 (years 1980–2016) were used as outcomes. Results Schizophrenia diagnosis between ages 15 and 25 (n = 9448) was associated with higher odds of not being employed (at the age of 30: OR 39.4, 95% CI 36.5–42.6), having no secondary or higher education (7.4, 7.0–7.8), and living alone (7.6, 7.2–8.1). These odds ratios were two-to-three times lower and decreasing over time for those individuals who did not receive treatment in a psychiatric inpatient or outpatient clinic for schizophrenia after the age of 25. Between ages 25–61, individuals with schizophrenia have cumulative earning of $224,000, which is 14% of the amount that the individuals who have not been diagnosed with schizophrenia earn. Conclusions Individuals with schizophrenia are at high risk of being outside the labour market and living alone throughout their entire life, resulting in an enormous societal loss in earnings. Individuals with less chronic course of schizophrenia had a gradual but substantial improvement throughout their work life.Peer reviewe

Establishment of a Basic Interactive Interpretation and Data Correlation System (IIDCS) at the Croatian Geological Survey

Modelling of Geological Basins is typically based on integration of deep seismic and borehole data. In order to have systematically arranged data needed for the interpretation and modelling, it requires establishment of a basic Interactive Interpretation and Data Correlation Sys-tem (IIDCS). The establishment of a basic Interactive Interpretation and Data Correlation System (IIDCS) at the Croatian Geological Survey is one of the main goals of the GeoTwinn project. GeoTwinn is a Horizon 2020 project intended and designed to twin the Croatian Geological Survey (HGI-CGS) with two world-leading geoscience research insti-tutes; the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) and the British Geological Survey of the United Kingdom Research and Innovation (BGS-UKRI), leading to significantly strengthen HGI-CGS’s research collabo-ration (http://projects.hgi-cgs.hr/geotwinn/). GeoTwinn project consists four Work Packages (WPs); (1) 3D geo-logical surveying and modelling, (2) advanced groundwater flow and contaminant transport modelling, (3) geological hazards, and (4) geothermal energy.The IIDCS is built primarily for the GeoTwinn project, and will be used for the interpretation of geophysical and geological data, the advanced reservoir modelling, and fi-nally, for building an Initial 3D reservoir-properties model for the greater Zagreb area. It is also the intention of Geo-Twinn to use the IIDCS for introducing the digital storage, organization and management of all kinds of geophysical, geological and petrophysical data available at the Croatian Geological Survey.Geological modelling of the greater Zagreb area and its deep geothermal aquifer is the main objective of WP1. The model is to be used for modelling of geochemical processes, and fluid and heat flow modelling in the WP4. Zagreb geothermal aquifer is situated inside Triassic do-lostones and dolomitic limestones, and Badenian bioclas-tic limestones of the Vrapče formation. Well data shows that geothermal aquifer lays in depths between (approx.) 800 to 900 meters, and seismic data shows very com-plex structural and stratigraphic relations. The bottom and the base of aquifer were mapped using Halliburton Landmark DecisionSpace Geoscience software, and the data was stored into the Interpretation and Data Cor-relation System (IIDCS) using Halliburton Landmark OpenWorks database

Pregnancy serum concentrations of perfluorinated alkyl substances and offspring behaviour and motor development at age 5-9 years--a prospective study

Background: In animal studies, perfluorinated alkyl substances affect growth and neuro-behavioural outcomes. Human epidemiological studies are sparse. The aim was to investigate the association between pregnancy serum concentrations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and offspring behaviour and motor development at 5-9 years of age. Methods: Maternal sera from the INUENDO cohort (2002-2004) comprising 1,106 mother-child pairs from Greenland, Kharkiv (Ukraine) and Warsaw (Poland) were analysed for PFOS and PFOA, using liquid-chromatography-tandem-mass-spectrometry. Exposures were grouped into country specific as well as pooled tertiles as well as being used as continuous variables for statistical analyses. Child motor development and behaviour at follow-up (2010-2012) were measured by the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ) and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), respectively. Exposure-outcome associations were analysed by multiple logistic and linear regression analyses. Results: In the pooled analysis, odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for hyperactivity was 3.1 (1.3, 7.2) comparing children prenatally exposed to the highest PFOA tertile with those exposed to the lowest PFOA tertile. Comparing children in the highest PFOS tertile with those in the lowest PFOS tertile showed elevated but statistically non-significant OR of hyperactivity (OR (95% CI) 1.7 (0.9, 3.2)). In Greenland, elevated PFOS was associated with higher SDQ-total scores indicating more behavioural problems (beta (95% CI) = 1.0 (0.1, 2.0)) and elevated PFOA was associated with higher hyperactivity sub-scale scores indicating more hyperactive behaviour (beta (95% CI) = 0.5 (0.1, 0.9)). Prenatal PFOS and PFOA exposures were not associated with motor difficulties. Conclusions: Prenatal exposure to PFOS and PFOA may have a small to moderate effect on children's neuro-behavioural development, specifically in terms of hyperactive behaviour. The associations were strongest in Greenland where exposure contrast is largest