Phytochrome gene diversity

The structures and functions of the phytochrome apoprotein genes (the PHY genes), their diversity across the plant kingdom, and their evolution are central concerns in the study of red-light sensing in plants. We summarize here recent advances in two areas relating to these topics: (1) the characteristics of the PHY gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana, the higher plant species for which the most extensive information on these genes is available, and (2) the similarity relationships, phylogeny, and evolutionary implications of PHY gene sequences and partial sequences which have been described from various plants. Together, these two areas of study, one directed at understanding in detail the phytochromes present in a single species and the other directed at a much broader understanding of PHY gene relatedness and distribution, are producing an increasingly clear picture of the diversity and evolution of plant red-light photoreceptors. Moreover, they suggest that the complexity of the phytochrome family has increased as land plants have evolved novel morphologies

Family Law

Family La

Setting a research agenda for progressive multiple sclerosis: The International Collaborative on Progressive MS

Despite significant progress in the development of therapies for relapsing MS, progressive MS remains comparatively disappointing. Our objective, in this paper, is to review the current challenges in developing therapies for progressive MS and identify key priority areas for research. A collaborative was convened by volunteer and staff leaders from several MS societies with the mission to expedite the development of effective disease-modifying and symptom management therapies for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis. Through a series of scientific and strategic planning meetings, the collaborative identified and developed new perspectives on five key priority areas for research: experimental models, identification and validation of targets and repurposing opportunities, proof-of-concept clinical trial strategies, clinical outcome measures, and symptom management and rehabilitation. Our conclusions, tackling the impediments in developing therapies for progressive MS will require an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to enable effective translation of research into therapies for progressive MS. Engagement of the MS research community through an international effort is needed to address and fund these research priorities with the ultimate goal of expediting the development of disease-modifying and symptom-relief treatments for progressive MS

The Claims Culture: A Taxonomy of Industry Attitudes

This paper presents an analysis of a familiar aspect of construction industry culture that we have dubbed 'the claims culture'. This is a culture of contract administration that lays a strong emphasis on the planning and management of claims. The principal elements of the analysis are two sets of distinctions. The first comprises economic and occupational orders, referring to two kinds of control that are exercised over the construction process; predicated respectively on economic ownership and occupational competence. The second refers to contrasting attitudes towards relationships and problem solving within these orders: respectively 'distributive' and 'integrative'. The concepts of economic and occupational order entail further sub-categories. The various attitudes associated with these categories and sub-categories are described. They are assessed as to their consequences for change initiatives in the industry

Assessing the Impact of Pumpkins Plantation, Harvest and Storage Decisions on a Collaborative Supply Chain with Data Analysis Tools

[EN] Successful pumpkins production requires the use of varieties that jointly with other factors yield well and produce pumpkins of the size, shape, color, and quality demanded by the market. But not only these issues are important. The perishable nature of pumpkins makes other issues such as how to prevent deterioration after harvest to become also relevant. In this paper the pumpkins plantation, harvest and storage (PHS) process is described and how some decisions affect certain goals, such as yield or conservation time. Additionally, some decision-making insights in a supply chain collaborative scenario made up of two stages: plantation/harvest and storage are given, where yield and conservation time trade-offs are outlined to develop win-win strategies. A real case using data analysis tools is analyzed. Results provide guidelines not only to make decisions independently on each stage but also to collaboratively work.The authors acknowledge the support of the project 691249, RUCAPS: "Enhancing and implementing knowledge based ICT solutions within high risk and uncertain conditions for agriculture production systems", funded by the European Union's research and innovation programme under the H2020 Marie Skodowska-Curie Actions.Pérez Perales, D.; Rodríguez-Sánchez, MDLÁ.; Ortiz Bas, Á.; Guyon, C. (2020). Assessing the Impact of Pumpkins Plantation, Harvest and Storage Decisions on a Collaborative Supply Chain with Data Analysis Tools. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. 598:511-523. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62412-5_42S511523598Prima, W.A., Xing, K., Amer, Y.: Collaboration and sustainable agri-food supply chain: a literature review. MATEC, 5802004 (2016)Pérez Perales, D., Alarcón Valero, F., Drummond, C., Ortiz, Á.: Towards a sustainable agri-food supply chain model. the case of LEAF. In: Ortiz, Á., Andrés Romano, C., Poler, R., García-Sabater, J.-P. (eds.) Engineering Digital Transformation. LNMIE, pp. 333–341. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96005-0_40Esteso, A., Alemany, M.M.E., Ortiz, A.: Conceptual framework for designing agri-food supply chains under uncertainty by mathematical programming models. Int. J. Prod. Res. 56(13), 4418–4446 (2018)Bahrami, R., Khodadadi, M., Piry, S., Hassanpanah, D.: The effects of planting methods and head pruning on seed yield and yield components of medicinal pumpkin (Cucurbita Pepo Subsp. Pepo Convar. Pepo Var. Styriaca) at low temperature areas. Pak. J. Bio. Sci. 12(6), 538–541 (2009)Tarus, W.J., Ochuodho, J.O., Rop, N.K.: Influence of harvesting stage on seed quality aspects of pumpkin (Cucurbita Pepo L.). J. Exp. Agr. 18(2), 1–9 (2017)Amodio, M.L., Rinaldi, R., Colell, G.: Extending shelf life of fresh-cut pumpkin (Cucurbita Maxima): effect of pre-treatments and storage conditions. Acta Hortic. 876, 333–340 (2010)Pimentel, D., et al.: Annual vs perennial grain production. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 161, 1–9 (2012)Biesiada, A., Nawirska, A., Kucharska, A., Sokół-Łętowska, A.: The effect of nitrogen fertilization methods on yield and chemical composition of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) fruits before and after storage. Veg. Crops. Res. B. 70, 203–211 (2009)Gwenael, J., Paul, Ch., Sau, I., Saurabh, S., Thomasse, S.: Hitting and harvesting pumpkins. Siam. J. Discrete. Math. 28(3), 1363–1390 (2014)Oluoch, M.O.: Production practices of pumpkins for improved productivity. Scripta. Hort. 15, 181–189 (2012)Ondigi, A., Toili, W., Ijani, A., Omuterema, S.: Comparative analysis of production practices and utilization of pumpkins (Cucurbita Pepo and Cucurbita Maxima) by smallholder farmers in the lake victoria basin, East Africa. Afr. J. Environ. Sci. Tech. 2(9), 296–304 (2008)Naik, M.L., Prasad, V.M., Raya, L.P.: A study on character association and path analysis in pumpkin (Cucurbita Moschata Duch. Ex Poir.). Int. J. Adv. Res. 3(1), 1030–1034 (2015)Nerson, H., Paris, H.S., Paris, E.P.: Fruit shape, size and seed yield in Cucurbita Pepo. Acta Hort. 510, 227–230 (2000)Ortiz, A., Alarcón, F., Pérez, D., Alemany, M.M.E.: Identifying the main uncertainties in the agri-food supply chain. In: Mula, J., Barbastefano, R., Díaz-Madroñero, M., Poler, R. (eds.) New global perspectives on industrial engineering and management. LNMIE, pp. 221–229. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93488-4_25Khalid, E., Mohammed, E.: Dependence of pumpkin yield on plant density and variety. Am. J. Plant. Sci. 2, 636–643 (2011)Jakop, M., et al.: Yield performance and agronomic efficiency in oil pumpkins (Cucurbita Pepo L. Group Pepo) depending on production systems and varieties. Agr. 14(1), 25–36 (2017)Ahmed, B., Masud, M.A.T., Zakaria, M., Hossain, M.M., Mian, M.A.K.: Evaluation of pumpkin (Cucurbita Moschata Duch. Ex Poir.) for yield and other characters. Bangl. J. Agr. Res. 42(1), 1–11 (2017)Zhao, J., et al.: Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of different pumpkin cultivars grown in China. Food Sci. Technol. 9(4), 308–316 (2015)Zhou, C., et al.: The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the microbiological quality and physical–chemical characteristics of pumpkin (Cucurbita Maxima Duch.) during refrigerated storage. Innov. Food. Sci. 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Hort. 18(4), 185–196 (1990)Muzzaffar, S., Baba, W.N., Nazir, N., Masoodi, F.A., Bhat, M.M., Bazaz, R.: Effect of storage on physicochemical, microbial and antioxidant properties of pumpkin (Cucurbita Moschata) candy. Cog. Food. Agr. 2(1), 1163650 (2016)Rahman, M.A., Miaruddin, M., Khan, M.H.H., Masud, M.A.T., Begum, M.M.: Effect of storage periods on postharvest quality of pumpkin. Bangl. J. Agr. Res. 38(2), 247–255 (2013)Song, J., Wei, Q., Wang, X., Li, D., Liu, C., Zhang, M., Meng, L.: Degradation of carotenoids in dehydrated pumpkins as affected by different storage conditions. Food. Res. Int. 107, 130–136 (2018)Matová, A.: the influence of genotype and storage condition on the content of selected bioactive substances in the fruit of pumpkin (Cucurbita Moschata Duch.). J. Microbiol. Bioech. Food. Sci. 9(2), 288–292 (2019)Tilman, D., Balzer, C., Hill, J., Befort, B.L.: Global food demand and the sustainable intensification of agricultura. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. 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Setting a research agenda for progressive multiple sclerosis: The International Collaborative on Progressive MS

Despite significant progress in the development of therapies for relapsing MS, progressive MS remains comparatively disappointing. Our objective, in this paper, is to review the current challenges in developing therapies for progressive MS and identify key priority areas for research. A collaborative was convened by volunteer and staff leaders from several MS societies with the mission to expedite the development of effective disease-modifying and symptom management therapies for progressive forms of multiple sclerosis. Through a series of scientific and strategic planning meetings, the collaborative identified and developed new perspectives on five key priority areas for research: experimental models, identification and validation of targets and repurposing opportunities, proof-of-concept clinical trial strategies, clinical outcome measures, and symptom management and rehabilitation. Our conclusions, tackling the impediments in developing therapies for progressive MS will require an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to enable effective translation of research into therapies for progressive MS. Engagement of the MS research community through an international effort is needed to address and fund these research priorities with the ultimate goal of expediting the development of disease-modifying and symptom-relief treatments for progressive MS

What anti-realism about hinges could possibly be?

The paper addresses the issue of what epistemic anti-realism could possibly be, in the context of “hinge epistemology.” According to this new epistemological trend, justification depends on evidence together with general background assumptions—for example, that there is an external world, that our sense organs are mostly reliable, that we are not the victims of persistent and lucid dreams what has regularly happened in the past will happen in the future, that people are generally reliable informants, and so on. The paper then addresses two issues. First, whether these assumptions are arbitrary, as relativists would claim. Second, how we should conceive of their metaphysical status. It responds negatively to the first question and puts forward an anti-realist conception of hinges to respond to the latter. Central to the proposal is that the kind of truth that can be predicated of hinges is of a minimalist kind. The paper also explores the compatibility of minimalism about hinges' truth and alethic pluralism

Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine Versus Chloroquine in the Treatment of Plasmodium vivax Malaria in Thailand: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The efficacy of chloroquine in the treatment of Plasmodium vivax malaria is declining on the Northwestern border of Thailand. This randomized controlled trial in 500 adults and children shows that dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine is a safe and effective alternative treatment