Current applications of coffee (Coffea arabica) somatic embryogenesis for industrial propagation of elite heterozygous materials in Central America and Mexico

Of ail the possible micropropagation techniques, it is widely accepted that vegetative propagation by somatic embryogenesis is by far the most promising for rapid, large-scale dissemination of elite individuals. Yet, to date, examples of somatic embryogenesis processes applied on an industrial scale are very few and far between. There are many complications. They usually involve a major genotypic effect, particularly for obtaining embryogenic tissues, or are related to the quality of regenerated somatic embryos, the incidence of somaclonal variation and, more generally, a lack of reproducibility and efficiency at certain stages of the process, leading to production costs that are prohibitive. Research on coffee somatic embryogenesis began at the end of the 1970s at various institutes, including CIRAD. Between 1995 and 2001, CIRAD moved the technique forward from a research laboratory scale to a technique enabling industrial dissemination of extremely promising Coffea arabica F1 hybrids. Over that period, two technological innovations made technology transfer economically feasible: mass production of somatic embryos in temporary immersion bioreactors and the possibility of sowing them directly in the nursery. At the same time, reassuring data were obtained on the genetic conformity of regenerated plants (somaclonal variation frequency < 3%). In 2002, in partnership with the ECOM group, CIRAD decided to transfer the somatic embryogenesis method on an industrial scale to Central America so that four Arabica hybrid clones, that were selected for agroforestry-based farming systems, could be disseminated throughout that part of the world. This article describes the different stages and the difficulties we had to overcome before successful technology transfer could occur in 2010. . It describes one of the first examples of somatic embryogenesis technology applied on a commercial scale. Keywords: Somatic embryogenesis, micropropagation, technological transfer, coffee tree, production costs, clonai conformity, somaclonal variations, in vitro plantlet, nursery (Résumé d'auteur

Reducing the Burden of Norovirus in Lane County Long-Term Care Facilities

Norovirus outbreaks are common in long-term care facilities (LTCF) causing substantial financial burdens and poor health outcomes. Observations by Lane County Public Health stakeholders show a correlation between rapport with LTCFs and prompt outbreak reporting. Proper communication between Lane County Public health and LTCFs is difficult due to high turnover rates. The purpose of this project was to develop resources related to norovirus outbreaks for LTCFs, to increase knowledge of LTCF administrators about these resources, and to increase prompt reporting of norovirus outbreaks to Lane County Public Health. Based on feedback from public health stakeholders, three trial LTCFs were chosen to receive education using an adapted norovirus toolkit. During onsite visits, the trial LTCFs administrators provided feedback about barriers to promptly reporting outbreaks and updated contact information for the trial LTCFs was collected. Additionally, an educational webinar about norovirus was developed for future utilization by LTCFs for staff education. Recommendations include establishing norovirus training standards throughout Lane County LTCFs, continuously updating LTCF contact information, and developing a process for measuring prompt reporting of norovirus outbreaks

“If I’m not a ship, I’m a boat that could be”: Seasteading and the post-social political imagination

Founded in 2008, The Seasteading Institute (TSI) is a California non-profit organization set up “to facilitate the development of permanent, autonomous cities deriving legal autonomy from their location in international waters – Earth’s last unclaimed frontier” (Hencken, 2013, cited in Barksdale). These floating city-states, or seasteads, would exist on platforms inspired by cruise ships, aircraft carriers and oil platforms and become frontier habitations for aquapreneurs and ocean pioneers wanting to experiment with new systems of governance. The seasteading movement, in line with Silicon Valley’s tech culture and (a)political ethos where individuals are encouraged to exit the political structure (Friedman 2009; Thiel 2009, 2014), is part of a larger trend toward postsociality and depoliticization. Much more than just a new utopian lifestyle on offer, seasteading is part of a digital countercultural movement driven by techno-libertarianism (a libertarian political approach to technology), and anarcho-capitalism. Ultimately, the certitude that technologically advanced, subject-centered, small-scale communities are more appropriate than large democratic political structures as catalysts for social change illustrates a broader shift in the collective imagination from social and political preoccupations to preoccupations with individual enhancement

Prognostic Significance of Changes in Heart Rate Following Uptitration of Beta-Blockers in Patients with Sub-Optimally Treated Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction in Sinus Rhythm versus Atrial Fibrillation

Background: In patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) on sub-optimal doses of beta-blockers, it is conceivable that changes in heart rate following treatment intensification might be important regardless of underlying heart rhythm. We aimed to compare the prognostic significance of both achieved heart rate and change in heart rate following beta-blocker uptitration in patients with HFrEF either in sinus rhythm (SR) or atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis of the BIOSTAT-CHF study. We evaluated 1548 patients with HFrEF (mean age 67 years, 35% AF). Median follow-up was 21 months. Patients were evaluated at baseline and at 9 months. The combined primary outcome was all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalisation stratified by heart rhythm and heart rate at baseline. Results: Despite similar changes in heart rate and beta-blocker dose, a decrease in heart rate at 9 months was associated with reduced incidence of the primary outcome in both SR and AF patients [HR per 10 bpm decrease—SR: 0.83 (0.75–0.91), p < 0.001; AF: 0.89 (0.81–0.98), p = 0.018], whereas the relationship was less strong for achieved heart rate in AF [HR per 10 bpm higher—SR: 1.26 (1.10–1.46), p = 0.001; AF: 1.08 (0.94–1.23), p = 0.18]. Achieved heart rate at 9 months was only prognostically significant in AF patients with high baseline heart rates (p for interaction 0.017 vs. low). Conclusions: Following beta-blocker uptitration, both achieved and change in heart rate were prognostically significant regardless of starting heart rate in SR, however, they were only significant in AF patients with high baseline heart rate

JRC Highlights Report 2023

The JRC Highlights Report 2023 gives an account of the activities, accomplishments and resources related to the JRC’s work carried out during the year. As well as an overview of scientific achievements and activities, the report includes corporate initiatives and key facts and figures.JRC.01 - Communicatio

Plant Power 2021 Information Boards and Associated Activities

These resources were originally created for the event Plant Power 2021, they formed a self-guided trail with information panels and accompanying activities hosted online.Plant Power 2021 was a partnership event between the Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, and the James Hutton Institute at University of Dundee Botanic Gardens to celebrate Fascination in Plants Day

Dynamic Consent: a potential solution to some of the challenges of modern biomedical research

Background: Innovations in technology have contributed to rapid changes in the way that modern biomedical research is carried out. Researchers are increasingly required to endorse adaptive and flexible approaches to accommodate these innovations and comply with ethical, legal and regulatory requirements. This paper explores how Dynamic Consent may provide solutions to address challenges encountered when researchers invite individuals to participate in research and follow them up over time in a continuously changing environment.Methods: An interdisciplinary workshop jointly organised by the University of Oxford and the COST Action CHIP ME gathered clinicians, researchers, ethicists, lawyers, research participants and patient representatives to discuss experiences of using Dynamic Consent, and how such use may facilitate the conduct of specific research tasks. The data collected during the workshop were analysed using a content analysis approach.Results: Dynamic Consent can provide practical, sustainable and future-proof solutions to challenges related to participant recruitment, the attainment of informed consent, participant retention and consent management, and may bring economic efficiencies.Conclusions: Dynamic Consent offers opportunities for ongoing communication between researchers and research participants that can positively impact research. Dynamic Consent supports inter-sector, cross-border approaches and large scale data-sharing. Whilst it is relatively easy to set up and maintain, its implementation will require that researchers re-consider their relationship with research participants and adopt new procedures

Yersinia pestis genomes reveal plague in Britain 4000 years ago

Extinct lineages of Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of the plague, have been identified in several individuals from Eurasia between 5000 and 2500 years before present (BP). One of these, termed the ‘LNBA lineage’ (Late Neolithic and Bronze Age), has been suggested to have spread into Europe with human groups expanding from the Eurasian steppe. Here, we show that the LNBA plague was spread to Europe’s northwestern periphery by sequencing three Yersinia pestis genomes from Britain, all dating to ~4000 cal BP. Two individuals were from an unusual mass burial context in Charterhouse Warren, Somerset, and one individual was from a single burial under a ring cairn monument in Levens, Cumbria. To our knowledge, this represents the earliest evidence of LNBA plague in Britain documented to date. All three British Yersinia pestis genomes belong to a sublineage previously observed in Bronze Age individuals from Central Europe that had lost the putative virulence factor yapC. This sublineage is later found in Eastern Asia ~3200 cal BP. While the severity of the disease is currently unclear, the wide geographic distribution within a few centuries suggests substantial transmissibility