Joint QTL Linkage Mapping for Multiple-Cross Mating Design Sharing One Common Parent

BACKGROUND: Nested association mapping (NAM) is a novel genetic mating design that combines the advantages of linkage analysis and association mapping. This design provides opportunities to study the inheritance of complex traits, but also requires more advanced statistical methods. In this paper, we present the detailed algorithm of a QTL linkage mapping method suitable for genetic populations derived from NAM designs. This method is called joint inclusive composite interval mapping (JICIM). Simulations were designed on the detected QTL in a maize NAM population and an Arabidopsis NAM population so as to evaluate the efficiency of the NAM design and the JICIM method. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Fifty-two QTL were identified in the maize population, explaining 89% of the phenotypic variance of days to silking, and nine QTL were identified in the Arabidopsis population, explaining 83% of the phenotypic variance of flowering time. Simulations indicated that the detection power of these identified QTL was consistently high, especially for large-effect QTL. For rare QTL having significant effects in only one family, the power of correct detection within the 5 cM support interval was around 80% for 1-day effect QTL in the maize population, and for 3-day effect QTL in the Arabidopsis population. For smaller-effect QTL, the power diminished, e.g., it was around 50% for maize QTL with an effect of 0.5 day. When QTL were linked at a distance of 5 cM, the likelihood of mapping them as two distinct QTL was about 70% in the maize population. When the linkage distance was 1 cM, they were more likely mapped as one single QTL at an intermediary position. CONCLUSIONS: Because it takes advantage of the large genetic variation among parental lines and the large population size, NAM is a powerful multiple-cross design for complex trait dissection. JICIM is an efficient and specialty method for the joint QTL linkage mapping of genetic populations derived from the NAM design

Magnetic dating of the Holocene monogenetic Tkarsheti volcano in the Kazbeki region (Great Caucasus)

The radiocarbon technique is widely used to date Late Pleistocene and Holocene lava flows. The significant difference with palaeomagnetic methods is that the 14C dating is performed on the organic matter carbonized by the rock formation or the paleosols found within or below the lava flow. On the contrary, the archaeomagnetic dating allows to date the moment when the lava is cooling down below the Curie temperatures. In the present study, we use the paleomagnetic dating to constrain the age of the Tkarsheti monogenetic volcano located within the Kazbeki Volcanic Province (Great Caucasus). A series of rock-magnetic experiments including the measurement of hysteresis curves, isothermal remanence, back-field and continuous thermomagnetic curves were applied. These experiments indicated that Pseudo-Single-Domain Ti-poor titanomagnetite is responsible for remanence. A characteristic remanent magnetization was obtained for all twenty analyzed samples yielding a stable single magnetization component observed upon both thermal and alternating field treatments. Comparison of the mean directions obtained (Inc = 48.6º, Dec = 6.4º, A95 = 4.0° and K = 67) with the SCHA.DIF.14k model yielded two main time intervals (4740–4650 or 4427– 4188 BC) as the best age estimate of the Lesser Tkarsheti lava flow. These results suggest an earlier age (between approximately 200 and 700 years) for this monogenetic lava flow than expected from the estimated age provided by a former 14C dating obtained in 1973 on woody remains. This first attempt to use the archaeomagnetic technique in the Caucasus indicates that the SCHA.DIF.14k geomagnetic model may be successfully used for dating purposes in the region.Projects BU0066U16 and BU235P18 (Junta de Castilla y Leon, Spain) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). AG is grateful for financial support of CONACyT 252149 and UNAM-PAPIIT project 101717. MC-R and AC acknowledge the financial support given by the Junta de Castilla y León (project BU235P18) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERD)

On the Event-based Attack-tolerant Control: A Polytopic Representation

In the present contribution, we present a new event-based control representation. Based on the polytopic approach, more specifically the sector nonlinear transformation, an event-based attack-tolerant control, and scheduling co-design strategy are proposed. From the event triggering definition (sample-and-hold strategy), polytopic writing of the event-triggered feedback control is first presented and then incorporated into the system dynamics for analysis. Our goal is to present a unique model that is able to deal with the co-design problem simultaneously and that can be handled by classical control synthesis tools. The novel representation, including data deception and attack tolerant control is formulated as a BMI optimization problem ensuring both stability and some level performance requirements (L2 attenuation of the cyber-attack)

Simultaneous State and False-Data Injection Attacks Reconstruction for NonLinear Systems: an LPV Approach

The present contribution addresses simultaneous state and actuator/sensor false-data injection attacks reconstruction for nonlinear systems. The considered actuator/sensor attacks are modeled as time-varying parameters with a multiplicative effect on the actuator input signal and the sensor output signal, respectively. Based on the sector non-linearity approach and the convex polytopic transformation, the nonlinear model is written in a Linear Parameter-Varying (LPV) form, then an observer allowing both state and attack reconstruction is designed by solving an LMI optimization problem

Retrospective Study of a Cohort of Tunisian Patients with Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is a complex disease where many factors influence its morbidity and mortality. Analyzing the clinic pathological parameters of this malignant disease in a series of thyroid cancer patients allows to evaluate their clinical behavior and outcomes. A retrospective analysis on clinical and pathological data of 92 patients with thyroid cancer was carried. Our results indicate that the mean age of the patients was 49.3 ± 14.5, that women accounted for 79.4% of the patients, and the mean followup duration was 67.4 months (range: 7–216 months). Papillary carcinoma was the most common histological type, with 84 cases (91.3%). Low pathological tumor-node-metastasis stage was observed in 39.4% of the patients. Ten year survival was 21.3%. Older patients were associated with advanced stage (stage III and IV) and with high recurrence rate. Understanding better how certain clinic pathologic variables influence disease progression in specific population groups has the potential to allow clinicians to tailor diagnostic and therapeutic options

Retrospective Study of a Cohort of Tunisian Patients with Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is a complex disease where many factors influence its morbidity and mortality. Analyzing the clinic pathological parameters of this malignant disease in a series of thyroid cancer patients allows to evaluate their clinical behavior and outcomes. A retrospective analysis on clinical and pathological data of 92 patients with thyroid cancer was carried. Our results indicate that the mean age of the patients was 49.3 ± 14.5, that women accounted for 79.4% of the patients, and the mean followup duration was 67.4 months (range: 7–216 months). Papillary carcinoma was the most common histological type, with 84 cases (91.3%). Low pathological tumor-node-metastasis stage was observed in 39.4% of the patients. Ten year survival was 21.3%. Older patients were associated with advanced stage (stage III and IV) and with high recurrence rate. Understanding better how certain clinic pathologic variables influence disease progression in specific population groups has the potential to allow clinicians to tailor diagnostic and therapeutic options