The Epidemic Spread of Seiridium cardinale on Leyland Cypress Severely Limits Its Use in the Mediterranean

Leyland cypress (× Hesperotropsis leylandii) is a fast-growing conifer used in most temperate regions as an ornamental tree for hedges and screens, and is one of the most commercially important trees in Europe. In recent years, severe diebacks and mortality due to cypress canker have been observed on Leyland cypress plantations in Southern Europe. This study was conducted to evaluate (i) the spread and impact of cypress canker caused by Seiridium cardinale in plantations of a sample area of 1,250 km2 in central Italy, (ii) the response of the most commonly grown Leyland cypress varieties to artificial inoculation with to S. cardinal, and (iii) the pathogenicity of S. cardinale isolates obtained from Leyland cypress. Of the 1,411 surveyed trees, 11.4% had been killed by cypress canker and 43.9% of the living trees were affected by the disease. The number of diseased or dead trees and the percentage of cankered trunks was significantly correlated with the mean trunk diameter of the plantations. Six months after inoculation, the size of developed cankers was significantly different among the inoculated Leyland cypress cultivars but all of them showed markedly larger cankers than the C. sempervirens canker-resistant control clone. All of the tested S. cardinale isolates obtained from Leyland cypress also caused cankers on Cupressus sempervirens when inoculated as conidial suspensions or mycelia. Leyland cypress is highly prone to contract cypress canker in the Mediterranean due to its high susceptibility to S. cardinale infections, low genetic variability among the grown cultivars, and cracks which form on fast-growing trunks, favoring entry of the fungus into the inner bark and the occurrence of infections

apeNEXT: A multi-TFlops Computer for Simulations in Lattice Gauge Theory

We present the APE (Array Processor Experiment) project for the development of dedicated parallel computers for numerical simulations in lattice gauge theories. While APEmille is a production machine in today's physics simulations at various sites in Europe, a new machine, apeNEXT, is currently being developed to provide multi-Tflops computing performance. Like previous APE machines, the new supercomputer is largely custom designed and specifically optimized for simulations of Lattice QCD.Comment: Poster at the XXIII Physics in Collisions Conference (PIC03), Zeuthen, Germany, June 2003, 3 pages, Latex. PSN FRAP15. Replaced for adding forgotten autho

The apeNEXT project (Status report)

We present the current status of the apeNEXT project. Aim of this project is the development of the next generation of APE machines which will provide multi-teraflop computing power. Like previous machines, apeNEXT is based on a custom designed processor, which is specifically optimized for simulating QCD. We discuss the machine design, report on benchmarks, and give an overview on the status of the software development.Comment: Talk from the 2003 Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics (CHEP03), La Jolla, Ca, USA, March 2003, 8 pages, LaTeX, 12 eps figures. PSN THIT00

Status of the apeNEXT project

We present the current status of the apeNEXT project. Aim of this project is the development of the next generation of APE machines which will provide multi-teraflop computing power. Like previous machines, apeNEXT is based on a custom designed processor, which is specifically optimized for simulating QCD. We discuss the machine design, report on benchmarks, and give an overview on the status of the software development

Measurement of the atmospheric muon depth intensity relation with the NEMO Phase-2 tower

The results of the analysis of the data collected with the NEMO Phase-2 tower, deployed at 3500 m depth about 80 km off-shore Capo Passero (Italy), are presented. Cherenkov photons detected with the photomultipliers tubes were used to reconstruct the tracks of atmospheric muons. Their zenith-angle distribution was measured and the results compared with Monte Carlo simulations. An evaluation of the systematic effects due to uncertainties on environmental and detector parameters is also included. The associated depth intensity relation was evaluated and compared with previous measurements and theoretical predictions. With the present analysis, the muon depth intensity relation has been measured up to 13 km of water equivalent.Comment: submitted to Astroparticle Physic

Prospects for K+→π+ννˉK^+ \to \pi^+ \nu \bar{ \nu } at CERN in NA62

The NA62 experiment will begin taking data in 2015. Its primary purpose is a 10% measurement of the branching ratio of the ultrarare kaon decay $K^+ \to \pi^+ \nu \bar{ \nu }$, using the decay in flight of kaons in an unseparated beam with momentum 75 GeV/c.The detector and analysis technique are described here.Comment: 8 pages for proceedings of 50 Years of CP

Touchdown General Primer (GP5+/GP6+) PCR and optimized sample DNA concentration support the sensitive detection of human papillomavirus

BACKGROUND: The GP5+/GP6+ PCR assay is a well-established HPV detection technique. This study has examined the effects of incorporating 'hot start' and 'touchdown' steps into the protocol. In addition, dTTP was substituted with dUTP to permit contamination control measures against carry-over PCR product. METHODS: Firstly, HPV-16 was amplified from SiHa cell DNA (0.1 ng–100 ng) diluted in a background of C-33A DNA (100 ng-2 μg). Secondly, the detection of small quantities (15ag-1.5pg) of HPV recombinant plasmids (types 16, 31, 33, 45, 51, 52, and 56) diluted in C-33A DNA was investigated. Thirdly, clinical sample DNA extracts (cervical smears, formalin-fixed vaginal lesions and breast tumors) were tested for HPV. Six different PCR protocols were assessed. HPV was detected by gel electrophoresis, and by Southern and dot blot hybridization. RESULTS: HPV detection sensitivity was dependent on the total amount of DNA in a PCR. Touchdown protocols supported HPV-16 detection from 1 ng or 0.5 ng SiHa cell DNA in a background of 2 μg or 1 μg C-33A DNA respectively, and from 0.1 ng of SiHa cell DNA (~28 copies HPV-16) in 500 ng or 100 ng background DNA. Under standard GP5+/GP6+ annealing conditions, HPV-16 went undetected when the DNA content of a PCR was 2 μg or 1 μg, and with 500 ng C-33A DNA the sensitivity limit was 1 ng SiHa cell DNA. HPV recombinant plasmids were each detected with high (albeit varying) sensitivity by a touchdown protocol. HPV-31 was better amplified under standard annealing conditions (1.5fg in 100 ng background DNA) than by a touchdown approach (15fg detection limit). HPV-52 was not amplified by the standard protocol at the dilutions tested. Seventeen different HPV types were demonstrated in 47/65 (72%) abnormal cytology samples recorded as HPV negative by standard GP5+/GP6+ conditions. Twenty-one different HPV types were recorded in 111/114 (97%) vaginal lesions. Multiple infections were also detectable using a touchdown approach. Of 26 breast tumors, 5 (19%) tested HPV positive by the standard assay and 15/26 (58%) using a touchdown protocol. CONCLUSION: Touchdown modification of the GP5+/GP6+ PCR assay enables the detection of HPV undetected under regular assay conditions. The use of standardized DNA quantities in a PCR rather than standard sample volumes containing arbitrary amounts of DNA is supported. A touchdown approach may be beneficial as an analytical test for the re-evaluation of (apparently) HPV negative abnormal cervical cytological or histological samples, and for investigating the association of HPV with disease conditions at diverse organ sites. The clinical utility of a touchdown approach for HPV detection requires further investigation as increased assay analytical sensitivity may not necessarily equate with improved clinical sensitivity or specificity

Presence of papillomavirus sequences in condylomatous lesions of the mamillae and in invasive carcinoma of the breast

BACKGROUND: Viruses including Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), a human equivalent of murine mammary tumour virus (MMTV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) have been implicated in the aetiology of human breast cancer. We report the presence of HPV DNA sequences in areolar tissue and tumour tissue samples from female patients with breast carcinoma. The presence of virus in the areolar–nipple complex suggests to us a potential pathogenic mechanism. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was undertaken to amplify HPV types in areolar and tumour tissue from breast cancer cases. In situ hybridisation supported the PCR findings and localised the virus in nipple, areolar and tumour tissue. RESULTS: Papillomavirus DNA was present in 25 of 29 samples of breast carcinoma and in 20 of 29 samples from the corresponding mamilla. The most prevalent type in both carcinomas and nipples was HPV 11, followed by HPV 6. Other types detected were HPV 16, 23, 27 and 57 (nipples and carcinomas), HPV 20, 21, 32, 37, 38, 66 and GA3-1 (nipples only) and HPV 3, 15, 24, 87 and DL473 (carcinomas only). Multiple types were demonstrated in seven carcinomas and ten nipple samples. CONCLUSIONS: The data demonstrate the occurrence of HPV in nipple and areolar tissues in patients with breast carcinoma. The authors postulate a retrograde ductular pattern of viral spread that may have pathogenic significance

Externalities and the nucleolus

In most economic applications, externalities prevail: the worth of a coalition depends on how the other players are organized. We show that there is a unique natural way of extending the nucleolus from (coalitional) games without externalities to games with externalities. This is in contrast to the Shapley value and the core for which many different extensions have been proposed