Fast, broad-band magnetic resonance spectroscopy with diamond widefield relaxometry

We present an alternative to conventional Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy equipment. Avoiding the use of bulky magnets and magnetron equipment, we use the photoluminescence of an ensemble of Nitrogen-Vacancy centers at the surface of a diamond. Monitoring their relaxation time (or T1), we detected their cross-relaxation with the compound of interest. In addition, the EPR spectra is encoded through a localized magnetic field gradient. While 12 minutes was necessary to record each data point of the spectrum with previous individual NV center's technics, we are able to reconstruct a full spectrum at once in 3 seconds, over a range from 3 to 11 gauss. In term of sensitivity, only 0.5 microliter of a hexaaquacopper (II) ion solution with 1 micromole per liter concentration was necessary.Comment: Main text (15 pages, 6 Figures) + Supplementary (6 Pages, 7 Figures

Review: Towards the agroecological management of ruminants, pigs and poultry through the development of sustainable breeding programmes. II. Breeding strategies

Agroecology uses ecological processes and local resources rather than chemical inputs to develop productive and resilient livestock and crop production systems. In this context, breeding innovations are necessary to obtain animals that are both productive and adapted to a broad range of local contexts and diversity of systems. Breeding strategies to promote agroecological systems are similar for different animal species. However, current practices differ regarding the breeding of ruminants, pigs and poultry. Ruminant breeding is still an open system where farmers continue to choose their own breeds and strategies. Conversely, pig and poultry breeding is more or less the exclusive domain of international breeding companies which supply farmers with hybrid animals. Innovations in breeding strategies must therefore be adapted to the different species. In developed countries, reorienting current breeding programmes seems to be more effective than developing programmes dedicated to agroecological systems that will struggle to be really effective because of the small size of the populations currently concerned by such systems. Particular attention needs to be paid to determining the respective usefulness of cross-breeding v. straight breeding strategies of well-adapted local breeds. While cross-breeding may offer some immediate benefits in terms of improving certain traits that enable the animals to adapt well to local environmental conditions, it may be difficult to sustain these benefits in the longer term and could also induce an important loss of genetic diversity if the initial pure-bred populations are no longer produced. As well as supporting the value of within-breed diversity, we must preserve between-breed diversity in order to maintain numerous options for adaptation to a variety of production environments and contexts. This may involve specific public policies to maintain and characterize local breeds (in terms of both phenotypes and genotypes), which could be used more effectively if they benefited from the scientific and technical resources currently available for more common breeds. Last but not least, public policies need to enable improved information concerning the genetic resources and breeding tools available for the agroecological management of livestock production systems, and facilitate its assimilation by farmers and farm technicians

Negotiations of minority ethnic rugby league players in the Cathar country of France

This article is based on new empirical, qualitative research with minority ethnic rugby league players in the southwest of France. Drawing on similar research on rugby league in the north and the south of England, the article examines how rugby league, traditionally viewed as a white, working-class male game (Collins, 2006; Denham, 2004; Spracklen, 1995, 2001) has had to re-imagine its symbolic boundaries as they are constituted globally and locally to accommodate the needs of players from minority ethnic backgrounds. In particular, the article examines the sense in which experiences of minority ethnic rugby league players in France compare with those of their counterparts in England (Spracklen, 2001, 2007), how rugby league is used in France to construct identity, and in what sense the norms associated with the imaginary community of rugby league are replicated or challenged by the involvement of minority ethnic rugby league players in France. Questions about what it means to be (provincial, national) French (Kumar, 2006) are posed, questions that relate to the role of sport in the construction of Frenchness, and in particular the role of rugby league (and union). © Copyright ISSA and SAGE Publications

Study of the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) and BDNF genes in French patients with non syndromic mental deficiency

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mental deficiency has been linked to abnormalities in cortical neuronal network connectivity and plasticity. These mechanisms are in part under the control of two interacting signalling pathways, the serotonergic and the brain-derived neurotrophic (BDNF) pathways. The aim of the current paper is to determine whether particular alleles or genotypes of two crucial genes of these systems, the serotonin transporter gene (<it>SLC6A4</it>) and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (<it>BDNF</it>), are associated with mental deficiency (MD).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed four functional polymorphisms (rs25531, 5-HTTLPR, VNTR, rs3813034) of the <it>SLC6A4 </it>gene and one functional polymorphism (Val66 Met) of the <it>BDNF </it>gene in 98 patients with non-syndromic mental deficiency (NS-MD) and in an ethnically matched control population of 251 individuals.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found no significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies in the five polymorphisms studied in the <it>SLC6A4 </it>and <it>BDNF </it>genes of NS-MD patients versus control patients. While the comparison of the patterns of linkage disequilibrium (D') in the control and NS-MD populations revealed a degree of variability it did not, however, reach significance. No significant differences in frequencies of haplotypes and genotypes for VNTR/rs3813034 and rs25531/5-HTTLPR were observed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Altogether, results from the present study do not support a role for any of the five functional polymorphisms of <it>SLC6A4 </it>and <it>BDNF </it>genes in the aetiology of NS-RM. Moreover, they suggest no epistatic interaction in NS-MD between polymorphisms in <it>BDNF </it>and <it>SLC6A4</it>. However, we suggest that further studies on these two pathways in NS-MD remain necessary.</p

New investigations around CYP11A1 and its possible involvement in an androstenone QTL characterised in Large White pigs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previously, in boars with extreme androstenone levels, differential expression of the <it>CYP11A1 </it>gene in the testes has been characterised. <it>CYP11A1 </it>is located in a region where a QTL influencing boar fat androstenone levels has been detected in a Large White pig population. Clarifying the role of CYP11A1 in boar taint is important because it catalyses the initial step of androstenone synthesis and also of steroid synthesis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A genome-wide association study located <it>CYP11A1 </it>at approximately 1300 kb upstream from SNP H3GA0021967, defining the centre of the region containing the QTL for androstenone variation. In this study, we partially sequenced the <it>CYP11A1 </it>gene and identified several new single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) within it. Characterisation of one animal, heterozygous for <it>CYP11A1 </it>testicular expression but homozygous for a haplotype of a large region containing <it>CYP11A1</it>, revealed that variation of <it>CYP11A1 </it>expression is probably regulated by a mutation located downstream from the SNP H3GA0021967. We analysed <it>CYP11A1 </it>expression in LW families according to haplotypes of the QTL region's centre. Effects of haplotypes on <it>CYP11A1 </it>expression and on androstenone accumulation were not concordant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study shows that testicular expression of <it>CYP11A1 </it>is not solely responsible for the QTL influencing boar fat androstenone levels. As a conclusion, we propose to refute the hypothesis that a single mutation located near the centre of the QTL region could control androstenone accumulation in fat by regulating the <it>CYP11A1 </it>expression.</p

Superconducting Order Parameter Symmetry in Multi-layer Cuprates

We discuss the allowed order parameter symmetries in multi-layer cuprates and their physical consequences using highly non-specific forms of the inter- and intra-plane interactions. Within this framework, the bi-layer case is discussed in detail with particular attention paid to the role of small orthorhombic distortions as would derive from the chains in YBCO or superlattice effects in BSCCO. In the orthorhombic bi-layer case the (s,-s) state is of special interest, since for a wide range of parameters this state exhibits pi phase shifts in corner Josephson junction experiments. In addition, its transition temperature is found to be insensitive to non-magnetic inter-plane disorder, as would be present at the rare earth site in YBCO, for example. Of particular interest, also, are the role of van Hove singularities which are seen to stabilize states with d_{x^2 - y^2}-like symmetry, (as well as nodeless s-states) and to elongate the gap functions along the four van Hove points, thereby leading to a substantial region of gaplessness. We find that d_{x^2 - y^2}-like states are general solutions for repulsive interactions; they possess the fewest number of nodes and therefore the highest transition temperatures. In this way, they should not be specifically associated with a spin fluctuation driven pairing mechanism.Comment: REVTeX documentstyle, 34 pages, 10 figures include

Machine learning applied to the h index of colombian authors with publications in scopus

Our research aims to establish how to predict the H index of Colombian authors with publications in Scopus until 2016. The selection of the date was because, as mentioned earlier, the number of documents indexed per year exceeded 10,000 and they obtained the highest number of documents cited. To accomplish this purpose, a quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional, descriptive, explanatory, and predictive research was designed using supervised learning algorithms. These were applied to information from 8,840 Colombian authors. Among the findings we can highlight that: (i) Colombia is in the fifth position in the scope of countries of South America and the Caribbean, in terms of the number of products and citations; (ii) the largest number of Colombian authors with products in Scopus until 2016, belonged mainly to the area of natural sciences, followed by medical sciences and health; (iii) most of the Colombian authors were men (64.2%, or 5,442) and they have higher H index rates than women; (iv) using random cross validation for 10 iterations, the methods with the best predictive value using R2 and the minimization of mean absolute error (MAE) correspond to: AdaBoost (96.6% and 0.397, respectively); Random Forest (96.8% and 0.431, respectively); KNN (94.4% and 0.525, respectively); Tree (94.9% and 0.53, respectively); and Neural Network (93.3% and 0.7, respectively); and (v) the variables that help predict the H index in the case of the Colombian authors, in addition to the citations, correspond to: the quantity of products, number of products in Q1, and international collaboratio

Paediatric radiology seen from Africa. Part I: providing diagnostic imaging to a young population

Article approval pendingPaediatric radiology requires dedicated equipment, specific precautions related to ionising radiation, and specialist knowledge. Developing countries face difficulties in providing adequate imaging services for children. In many African countries, children represent an increasing proportion of the population, and additional challenges follow from extreme living conditions, poverty, lack of parental care, and exposure to tuberculosis, HIV, pneumonia, diarrhoea and violent trauma. Imaging plays a critical role in the treatment of these children, but is expensive and difficult to provide. The World Health Organisation initiatives, of which the World Health Imaging System for Radiography (WHIS-RAD) unit is one result, needs to expand into other areas such as the provision of maintenance servicing. New initiatives by groups such as Rotary and the World Health Imaging Alliance to install WHIS-RAD units in developing countries and provide digital solutions, need support. Paediatric radiologists are needed to offer their services for reporting, consultation and quality assurance for free by way of teleradiology. Societies for paediatric radiology are needed to focus on providing a volunteer teleradiology reporting group, information on child safety for basic imaging, guidelines for investigations specific to the disease spectrum, and solutions for optimising imaging in children